


Honey Apples For The Win

by Multiduel



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Adorable Cole (Dragon Age), Gen, Minor Cassandra Pentaghast/Varric Tethras, One Big Happy Family, Parental Varric Tethras, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:33:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24149029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Multiduel/pseuds/Multiduel
Summary: What does the team do in between all the fighting?
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	Honey Apples For The Win

The week had been long. Too long. Varric could feel the bones in his shoulders crunch as he stretched. Seven days of sleeping on the ground was starting to take its toll and with at least another seven ahead of him, the dwarf was regretting every decision he’d ever made. Of course, the next time he was asked to drag his sorry arse halfway across Thedas he’d agree in a heartbeat. Maybe it was his unwavering sense of loyalty towards the only group of people trying to fix the mess he’d helped create. Maybe he secretly still liked the promise of an adventure, conveniently forgetting how old he actually was, until his body started bitterly reminding him. Ah, maybe he was just a fool. 

He pulled off his boots and laid them in the vicinity of the campfire. The Fallow Mire was a horrendously soggy place, as Sparkler commented every forty five seconds, the sturdiest of footwear didn’t stand a chance. Varric grimaced as he peeled off his socks, half expecting the skin of his soles to come off with them. His toes looked as though he had been sitting in the bath for too long and felt as cold as the water he’d been wading through. He stretched them out towards the flames and sighed as he felt the heat flow into his skin. He lent back on his hands and glanced across the campsite. Dorian came storming out of his tent, and threw himself down on the ground next to where Varric was sitting. Varric did his best to suppress his smirk. 

“Problem Sparkler?”

Dorian glared at him with enough fire to melt stone.

“Problem? _Problem?”_

Dorian threw up his hands in a rather amusing sulky gesture. 

“Every piece of clothing I have is ruined, I haven’t been any sort of dry in a week and don’t even get me started on my hair.” 

Varric grinned, tilting his head back he watched the stars wink softly against the sky. Dorian continued to grumble under his breath, fiddling with the torn mud stained edges of his robe. The air surrounding the camp was on the wrong side of cool but the fire was large enough that Varric felt comfortable removing his sodden jacket. 

“Please refrain from taking off anything else until I’m no longer around.” 

Cassandra appeared from behind the two men and circled around to sit across from them. She kept her glare firmly fixed on Varric as she spoke. The dwarf grinned lazily at her and gestured at his shirt. 

“What’s the matter seeker? Don’t want to see what lies beneath?”

Cassandra grunted and screwed up her face. Varric moved his fingers to his shirt buttons and pulled one open. Cassandra scowled and looked away.

“Stop it.”

Dorian chuckled and joined in the game. He ran a hand through his damp hair and undid one of the hundred buckles that adorned his robes. 

“Come now Cassandra, we’re all friends here.”

Varric fought back a laugh and continued with his buttons, his chest now completely exposed to the elements. 

“Exactly, what’s a little nudity between friends?”

Cassandra jumped to her feet and marched straight into her tent, muttering profanities under her breath as she did. The moment she’d disappeared Varric and Dorian both creased up with laughter. The sound bounced around the open night air. Varric clutched at his sides when the laughter eventually died down. A good kind of pain. Dorian flicked off a few more buckles, stripping off the top half of his robe. His smile remained as he did his best to squeeze some of the excess moisture, his foul mood seemingly forgotten. 

“I think we made her blush, she _has_ to learn to loosen up.”

Varric shook his head and gestured towards the breach. 

“Yeah, let's focus on one impossible thing at a time shall we?”

The two settled into a comfortable silence, the distant sounds of insects and the steady crackle of the fire creating a soothing atmosphere. Varric laid back with his hands behind his head and did his best to relax. He was drifting on the very edges of sleep when a shuffling to his left had him smirking. 

“Hey kiddo, was starting to think you got lost.”

He opened one eye and turned his head a little to look over at the spirit lingering on the edge of the campsite. Cole stood with one of his daggers in one hand the other pulling at the edges of his shirt He paused to look over at Dorian and Varric then back at his clothes continuing to pull at them. 

“Does it need to come off?”

Dorian cracked up again and Varric chuckled as he pushed himself up to a sitting position. He waved Cole over.

“No kid, just come here.”

Cole released his shirt and wandered over to the dwarf and dropped to the ground next to him with enough force that Dorian audibly winced. Varric took the dagger that was still clenched in the boys fingers and placed it in the dirt. Cole sat with his legs crossed and watched the flames of the campfire dance. He was soaked just like the rest of them but made no effort to rectify the issue. Varric wasn’t sure if Cole could actually feel cold but just looking at the boy was making him shiver. He reached up as best he could and pulled the kids jacket off his shoulders. Cole still didn’t move triggering the dwarf to roll his eyes. 

“Come on Kid, you’re soaked.”

Cole looked down at himself and frowned as if he’d only just noticed. He raised one hand to inspect his sodden sleeve, shaking it slightly. He shifted to allow Varric to remove his jacket, watching as the writer laid it out so it can dry by the fire. Cole reached up to take off his hat then clearly thought better of it and lowered his arms.

“Bloody skinny isn’t he?”

Dorian was watching from behind a bottle of something or other, one eyebrow quirked at Cole in interest. Varric followed the mage's gaze to where the spirit's wet shirt was clinging to his boney frame. Varric unconsciously reached out towards the boy, he could count every single one of the kids ribs, could see his chest move as his heart beat steadily under pale skin. Cole didn’t seem to notice anything was amiss, reuniting his hand to his dagger and drawing pictures in the dirt with it. Varric let his eyes linger on Cole, feeling a sharp squeeze in his chest. He jumped when something soft hit the back of his head. He turned to see a small bag in the ground by his leg. He flicked his head over towards Dorian who was attempting to look innocently in another direction. Varric picked up the bag and pulled out the contents, a few apples, bread, cheese and a small jar of honey. 

“It likes to travel, it gets to remember new places.”

Varric stopped what he was doing and looked over to Cole as the boy spoke. Cole was squeezing the edges of his shirt sleeve, allowing the water to drip out onto the ground where he’d been doodling. Varric watched with vague amusement, taking Cole’s dagger again to slice some of the bread.

“What’s travelling kiddo?”

Cole held out his sleeve.

“The water. It is pleased to move, it doesn’t like to stay still.”

Varric nodded, still grinning.

“Of course.”

He finished cutting up the food arranging something that resembled a sandwich and handed it to Cole. Cole frowned at it and wrinkled his nose.

“Blech.”

Varric sighed and forced the food into the boys hands. 

“You look like you haven't eaten in a hundred years.”

Cole waved the sandwich around, clearly contemplating throwing it in the fire.

“But I don’t need to eat.”

He stopped and frowned.

“I don’t _think_ I need to eat. _Twisting, shifting, something is changing but it's not sure which way to go.”_

Varric shook his head and pushed Cole’s arm so the food moved away from the fire and towards the boy's face.

“Look I don’t know about anything changing but I'm not gonna ask you kid, this is me telling you. Eat.”

Cole opened his mouth to protest but stopped when he saw Varric's expression. He stuck out his bottom lip in a pout and nibbled at the edges of the bread. Dorian chuckled.

“Cute.”

Varric glared at him and set about cutting up the apples.

“What nothing for me?”

Varric stopped and threw a look of exasperation over at Dorian who was laid flat on his back, arms tucked under his head. 

“We aren’t in your mansion now your highness, no servants here.”

Dorian tutted but grinned. Varric finished cutting the apples into slices and returned his attention to Cole. He’d pulled out the cheese and was glaring at it like it was about to bite him while he continued to chew on the dry bread. 

“See, not so bad right?”

Cole didn’t answer, flinging the cheese into the fire, taking some sort of odd satisfaction in watching it melt. Varric rolled his eyes and set the apple slices down on the empty bag and turned his attention to the pot of honey. After more than a few minutes of trying, the jar remained firmly sealed. 

“Need a hand?”

Dorian had pushed himself up into a sitting position and was making no attempt to hide that he was laughing. Varric started to say something smart back but stopped when the jar was plucked from his grip. Cole inspected it for a moment before removing the lid with a quick flick of his wrist. He held it out for Varric to take. The two men stared at the jar then back up at Cole. Varric shook his head and chuckled. 

“Thanks.”

Varric took the jar and set it down next to the apple slices. 

“You finished your sandwich?”

Varric looked at Cole’s empty hands. Cole looked at his fingers then over at the fire. He didn’t respond.

“Cole?”

Cole shrugged then blinked. Varric rolled his eyes again.

“Maybe this will be more to your taste.” 

Using one of Cole’s daggers he stabbed a few of the apple slices before coating them in a layer of honey. Cole watched with pointed interest as Varric held the dagger over the fire, allowing the flames to gently lick at the edges of the now sticky pieces of apple. The honey bubbled and the smell of melting sugar quickly filled the air. Varric drew the knife back and inspected it. Cole reached out to take the apple but Varric quickly snatched it away. 

“Patience kiddo they’re still hot.”

Varric gently blew on the apple allowing the honey to set. When he deemed them cool enough he pulled a couple off the dagger and held them out to an eager Cole who accepted them gratefully. He spun them in his fingers inspecting the shiny layer of sugar before bringing one to his lips. He licked at it cautiously before putting it whole into his mouth. Varric watched the boy's expression change repeatedly as he chewed. Varric and Dorian waited with interest. Cole continued to chew for a long moment before finally swallowing. Silence. Varric shook his head.

“That bad huh?”

Cole blinked, then put the second piece whole in his mouth holding out his hand for more. Varric broke into a wide grin and handed over the other two slices. Dorian cleared his throat and sulked. Varric sighed, preparing another round. When they were done he tossed them over to Sparkler who gave him a thumbs up. Cole licked the excess sweetness from his fingers and held his hand out at Varric again. Varric smiled.

“Alright, honey apples for the win.”

He cut a few more and handed them to Cole when they were done. Cole shoved two straight in his mouth almost choking as he did so.

“Easy kid, smaller bites!”

Cole mumbled around a mouth full of food and managed a cheeks-full smile. Varric laughed and scooped up a few sticky slices and got to his feet. He decided to take some to Cassandra as a peace offering. He padded softly to her tent and tapped gently on the fabric. 

“Seeker.”

“I’m not in the mood Varric.”

“I’m not here to tease, I just brought you something.”

Silence. 

“Alright I’ll just leave it here-”

The flap of the tent swung open and a rather irritated Cassandra appeared. 

“What are you-oh.”

She stopped when she saw what Varric was holding. He offered them to her and she slowly took them. They stood there for a moment, not saying anything. Varric shifted on the spot and scratched at the back of his head.

“So, I was just-”

“VARRIC!”

The dwarf whipped his head around to see Dorian desperately holding onto Cole who was practically _in_ the campfire. 

“VARRIC, a little help please?!”

Varric hurled himself back down to the fire and grabbed Cole’s arm pulling him away from the flames. The three of them fell back into the dirt landing on top of one another. Varric wiggled himself up and grabbed at Cole, checking him over. 

“Andraste’s ass Cole! What were you trying to do, cook yourself?”

Cole frowned and held up one hand. He was holding a whole apple with what looked like the entire jar of honey poured over it. Varric stared at him, then broke into peels of howling laughter. Cole looked confused. Dorian pulled himself up and stomped off towards his tent muttering in tevene. Varric kept laughing till his face ached and tears were running down his cheeks. Cole returned his attention to the apple, honey dripping down his wrist and smeared across his lips. 

“You got a little something there kiddo.”

Varric gestured to Cole’s mouth. The spirit attempted to wipe it off with the back of his free hand but only succeeded in smearing it further across his face. Varric split into laughter again, leaning back on his hands to watch Cole as the boy sucked on his fingers before taking a bite of the apple. The moment was soft and peaceful, and Varric allowed himself to bask in it. Peace didn’t usually last that long these days, so it was best to enjoy it whenever it presented itself.

**Author's Note:**

> I highly recommend you guys looking up a recipe for baked honey apples, they are a blessing from the Maker


End file.
